News

Minarets High School Response to Threat

MADERA COUNTY - Earlier Friday morning, around 10:30 am, school officials at Minarets High School received reports from students that a handwritten note had been discovered in a boy's bathroom on campus, implying a threat to the campus occurring on September 3rd, which is a Sunday when the school would be closed.

The Madera County Sheriff’s School Resource Deputy at Minarets High School was made aware of this written threat, and an investigation was initiated. At this time, there is no indication this is a credible threat. Regardless, we are taking this incident seriously, actively investigating the circumstances, and working to identify the individuals (s) involved. We would like to reassure students, parents, and the public that there is no active threat to the school. All students and staff are safe.

Salute to Education Kicks of Opening Day of the Madera Fair - FREE ADMISSION

MADERA - The Business and Education Committee of the Madera Chamber of Commerce are excited to announce that they will host their annual Salute to Education Reception and Awards Ceremony at the Madera District Fair on opening night, September 7, 2023. Admission to the fair on Thursday night is free to all ages, courtesy of Valley Children's Healthcare.

Over thirty-five educators from Madera schools will receive the Distinguished Teacher of the Year award for their outstanding efforts displayed during the 2022-23 school year.

Tulare County Man Sentenced to 5.5 Years in Prison for Possessing Cocaine

FRESNO - Jesus Angulo, 34, of Woodlake, was sentenced to five years and six months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, a long-term investigation uncovered a scheme involving the trade of illegal drugs sourced in Mexico and California for firearms sourced in Texas. In 2021, a team of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the Tulare County Surenos Street Gang. Part of the investigation focused on Angulo and his associates, who were involved in shipping illegal drugs and firearms across state lines.

Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Owner of Bakersfield Rental Properties

BAKERSFIELD - The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Javier Salazar Jr., Javier Salazar Sr., both of Bakersfield; and Ricardo Covarrubias, of Van Nuys; a maintenance worker, manager, and owner, respectively, of rental properties in Bakersfield, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, alleges that Javier Salazar, Jr., a maintenance worker, sexually harassed a female tenant from December 2018 through March 2019 by repeatedly asking the tenant to engage in sexual acts with him, asking her to be in a relationship with him, describing the sexual acts he wished to engage in with her, and persistently commenting on her appearance.

Merced County Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Conspiracy

FRESNO - Otoniel Cardenas-Torres, 33, of Delhi, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Cardenas received $13,500 from a confidential source for the delivery of 3 pounds of heroin to the confidential source by Cardenas’s brother. The heroin deal had been arranged by a Mexican source of drug supply, who orchestrated a string of heroin transactions through couriers, including co-defendants Robert Palacios-Garcia, 38, of Huntington Park; Daniel Quiroz, 41, of Los Angeles; and Juan Medina, 29, of Manteca.

The Madera Fair Offers Tons of Fun and Discounts for its 2023 Run.

MADERA - Remember the days of the local community fair, where folks competed to be recognized for the best homemade jelly or the biggest home-grown pumpkin? Where you could watch the 4H and FFA kids collect ribbons for the animals and projects they had been working on all year. You could shop all the vendor booths for items you can only find at the fair, and there were always fun carnival rides and midway games to play. Not to mention treating yourself to all the corndogs and cotton candy you could eat. Well, the good news is that it is that time again!

The Madera District Fair kicks off its four-day run on September 7 with local service clubs and vendors selling all your favorite fair foods. How long has it been since you have had a Jumbo Corndog or Frozen Banana? In addition, all your favorite fair acts will be roaming the grounds, waiting to entertain you with magicians, ventriloquists, jugglers, music, and more. Let’s not forget about characters walking around the fair ready to entertain your family. While there will not be a fireworks show, there will be a nightly drone light show over the fairgrounds that will be like nothing you have ever seen before in the valley. The Midway of Fun will be back with all your favorite carnival rides and games, and let us not forget the hours of entertainment on all of the fair’s stages. This year the gate admissions during the fair will be $15 for adults over 13 years of age and $10 for seniors; Kids 12 and under enter for FREE all four days of the fair courtesy of Valley Children’s Healthcare when accompanied by an adult.

Former Fresno IRS Employee Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Selling Morphine and Contributing to Co-worker’s Death

FRESNO - Margarita Aispuro-Camacho, 46, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for illegally selling morphine and contributing to the death of her co-worker at the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court records, in May 2020, the police found the victim dead in an apartment in Clovis. A toxicology report confirmed the victim died from an overdose of morphine and other prescription drugs. Importantly, the victim did not have a prescription for morphine.